Roasted Duck Orange Glaze (Printable)

Succulent duck glazed with orange juice and ginger, offering sweet and tangy aromatic notes.

# What You Need:

→ Duck

01 - 1 whole duck (approximately 4.4 lbs), giblets removed
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Glaze

04 - 3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 large oranges)
05 - Zest of 1 orange
06 - 2 tablespoons honey
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
08 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

→ Aromatics

12 - 1 orange, quartered
13 - 1 small onion, quartered
14 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat duck dry with paper towels. Prick skin all over carefully without piercing the meat.
02 - Season cavity and skin with salt and black pepper. Stuff cavity with quartered orange, onion, and thyme sprigs.
03 - Place duck breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 1 hour, draining excess fat every 30 minutes.
04 - In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, zest, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar, and chili flakes if used. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until syrupy, about 10–12 minutes. Set aside.
05 - Brush duck all over with glaze after 1 hour. Return to oven and roast 30–40 minutes more, glazing every 10–15 minutes, until skin is deep golden and crispy and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Remove duck from oven. Loosely cover with foil and rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with remaining glaze.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crackling, golden skin shatters between your teeth while the meat stays impossibly juicy—this is what roasted duck should be
  • That orange and ginger glaze is pure balance: sweet honey, tangy citrus, warm spice, and umami from soy sauce all working together like an orchestra
  • It looks like you spent hours in a professional kitchen, but the actual hands-on time is surprisingly manageable
  • Gluten-free when you use tamari instead of regular soy sauce, making it elegant enough for any dietary restriction
02 -
  • Do not skip the pricking step or the fat draining. These aren't optional extras—they're the difference between crispy skin and rubbery skin. I learned this the hard way on attempt number two.
  • The glaze has to reduce to a true syrup. If you skip the reduction and just brush raw glaze on the duck, it will burn. Medium heat and patience are your friends here.
  • Duck meat is much richer than chicken, which means it needs strong flavors to balance it. That's why the orange, ginger, and soy sauce matter so much. They're not decoration; they're the bridge that makes the dish sing.
03 -
  • Save every drop of rendered duck fat. Strained and refrigerated, it keeps for months and elevates any roasted vegetable or fried potato.
  • If your glaze is too thick after cooling, thin it with a splash of warm broth or orange juice before serving. If it's too thin, simmer it a bit longer the next time.
  • Always use a meat thermometer. This removes all guesswork and guarantees perfectly cooked duck every single time.

Return